Portuguese - Language Information & Resources Home » Resources » Languages » Portuguese Portuguese Our professional language experts include native Portuguese speakers experienced in the nuances of the language and the requirements of effective translation. Want a quote right now? Click here . If you prefer to first learn more about the Portuguese language and its various dialects, keep reading. Portugal & Portuguese Language History The Portuguese language, which evolved from spoken Latin, developed on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula (now Portugal and the Spanish province of Galicia), the province the Romans called Lusitania. When the Romans invaded the peninsula in 218 B.C., the people living in the region adopted Latin, the Roman’s language. From then until the 9th century, all spoke Romance, a language representing an intermediate stage between vulgar or common Latin and modern Latin languages. From 409 AD to 711, the Portuguese vocabulary adopted many new words used by invading Germanic tribes. The effects of the Germanic migrations on the spoken language was not uniform and broke the linguistic uniformity of the peninsula.

Beginning in 711, when the Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula, Arabic became the official language, although the vast majority of the population continued to speak Romance. When Christians started to re-conquer the peninsula in the 11th century, the Arabs were expelled to the South. Galician-Portuguese became the spoken and written language of Lusitania. The separation between the Galician and Portuguese languages, which began with Portugal’s independence in 1185, was consolidated after the Moors were expelled in 1249. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, when Portugal established an overseas empire, the Portuguese language was heard in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Portuguese entered its modern phase in the 16th century when early lexicologists defined Portuguese morphology and syntax. When Luis de Camões wrote Os Lusíadas, in 1572, the language was already close to its current structure of phrases and morphology. From then on, linguistic changes have been minor. French influence during the 18th century changed the Portuguese spoken in the homeland, making it different from the Portuguese spoken in the colonies.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Portuguese vocabulary absorbed new contributions reflecting technological advances. Portuguese Language in the World Between 170 and 210 million people speak Portuguese throughout the world today. Portuguese is the eighth most spoken language in the world (third among the Western European languages, after English and Spanish/Castilian) and is the official language of seven countries: Angola (10.3 million inhabitants), Brazil (151 million), Cabo Verde (346,000), Guinea-Bissau (1 million), Mozambique (15.3 million), Portugal (9.9 million), and São Tomé and Príncipe islands (126,000). In 1986, Portuguese became an official language in the European Union (EU). Portuguese Language in Europe Portuguese is spoken in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. The dialects spoken in the archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira represent an extension of the mainland Portuguese dialects.

Portuguese Language in Brazil When Portugal first colonized Brazil, a process that began in 1500, Tupi, one of the languages of the Tupi-Guarani family spoken by indians who lived on the Brazilian seacoast, was used along with Portuguese as the general language of the colony. This was primarily because the Jesuit priests studied and taught the Tupi language. In 1757, Tupi was banned by royal decree. When the Jesuits were expelled in 1759, Portuguese became the language of the country. The Portuguese language in Brazil received a new source of contributions with the influx of African slaves. During the 18th century, other differences between the American and European Portuguese developed. At that time Brazilian Portuguese failed to adopt linguistic changes taking place in Portugal produced by French influence. The Brazilian Portuguese remained loyal to the pronunciation used at the time of its discovery. However, when Don João, the Portuguese king, and the royal entourage took refuge in Brazil in 1808 (when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Portugal), his presence helped to re-approximate the Portuguese spoken in the cities to the Portuguese of Portugal.

After Brazilian independence in 1822, Brazilian Portuguese became influenced by Europeans who had migrated to the central and southern parts of the country. In the 20th century, the split between the Portuguese and Brazilian variants of Portuguese heightened as the result of new words for technological innovations. Portuguese Language in Africa In Angola and Mozambique, where Portuguese was strongly implemented as a spoken language alongside many other indigenous languages, a very “pure” Portuguese is spoken, although with some proper characteristics. In African countries where Portuguese is the official language, Portuguese is used in administration, teaching, press and international relations. In everyday life are also used other national languages and creoles of Portuguese origin. African countries whose official language is Portuguese are: Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guiné Bissau and São Tomé e Príncipe. Portuguese Language in Asia Portuguese was largely used in the 16th and 17th centuries in the ports of India and South East Asia.

Today, it survives only in its standard form in isolated regions: in Macau, a Chinese territory under Portuguese rule till 1999; in the Indian state of Goa, a Portuguese colony till 1961; and in East Timor, a former Portuguese colony where Portuguese is today the official language. Get Your FREE Quote Culture of Guinea-Bissau - history, people, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage Culture of Guinea-Bissau Formally known as The Republic of Guinea-Bissau Orientation Identification. "Guinea" was used by European explorers and traders to refer the coast of West Africa. It comes from an Arabic term meaning "the land of the blacks." "Bissau," the name of the capital, may be a corruption of "Bijago," the name of the ethnic group that inhabits the dozens of small islands along the coast. The combined name distinguishes the country from its southern neighbor, Guinea. Location and Geography. Guinea-Bissau, one of the smallest and poorest West African nation-states, is surrounded by former French colonies.

Sharing a border to the north with Senegal and to the south with Guinea, it has a land area of 13,944 square miles (36,125 square kilometers). The terrain is generally flat and nearly at sea level, although there are hills in the southeastern region. Wide tidal estuaries surrounded by mangrove swamps penetrate forty miles into the interior, where coastal rain forest gives way to sparsely wooded savanna. Demography. In 1998, the population was at 1,206,311. The population is 76 percent rural, but almost 20 percent of the inhabitants live in the capital city. More than half the citizens were born after independence in 1974. Fula and Mandinga, who were traditionally politically centralized and make up the Moslem majority in the interior, account for roughly 30 percent of the population. Balanta, Manjaco, and Papel in the coastal and tidal zone constitute a sizable demographic majority. Linguistic Affiliation. Government documents are written in Portuguese, students beyond the first few years of elementary school are taught in Portuguese, and government officials speak that language.

However, only about 10 percent of the citizens are fluent in Portuguese. The national lingua franca is Criolu, which is derived primarily from Portuguese. Almost all Guineans born after 1974 know Criolu, although most speak it as a second language. Criolu developed in the era of slave trading, when it was used for communication between Portuguese merchant-administrators and the local populations. It became the primary language of Cape Verdeans, who were descendants of West African slaves and resettled in Portuguese coastal enclaves. These people were employed by the government in the lower levels of the colonial bureaucracy and engaged in local commercial activities. Criolu became the de facto national language during the struggle for liberation (1961–1974). Today Criolu is associated with an urban ethnic minority that identifies itself as Cape Verdean. It is also the language of national identity. Patriotic songs and slogans are invariably in Criolu and the national news is broadcast in that language. Most residents are more comfortable speaking local African languages; close to half the population is monolingual in a local language.

Balanta, Manjaco, and Papel speak related but mutually unintelligible languages that are distantly related to languages spoken in Senegal. The language of the Bijagos islanders off the coast is unrelated to that of any neighboring group. The languages spoken by Mandinga and Fula allow them to communicate with their cultural kin in neighboring nations. Symbolism. The flag, with horizontal stripes of green, red, and yellow and a black star in the center, reflects an explicit concern to define the country in terms of national liberation and as pan-African rather than ethnic. During the revolution, efforts were made to minimize ethnic distinctions, and this Guinea-Bissau effort is reflected in the pervasive use of Criolu as the language of political slogans and patriotic celebration. Schools and avenues are named after heroes of the revolution, such as Domingos Ramos, who was killed while leading the first organized guerrilla battalion. Pan-African martyrs to national liberation such as Patrice Lumumba are similarly enshrined. History and Ethnic Relations Emergence of the Nation. By the sixteenth century, European traders had established permanent trading posts along the coast and encouraged local peoples to raid their neighbors for slaves. The slave trade created and reinforced ethnic distinctions in the region.

Bijagos became notorious slave raiders, and Manjaco and Papel produced food for the coastal trading posts, along with trade goods, such as elaborately patterned textiles. After the end of the slave trade in the mid-nineteenth century, Bijagos maintained their independence until the 1930s. Manjaco and Papel were among the first people in the region to migrate to Cape Verdean and European pontas or concessions, to share-crop peanuts. They were active in the wild rubber trade in the early twentieth century, migrating to Senegal and Gambia. The end of the slave trade led to political collapse and chaos among the more politically centralized Moslem groups in the interior. As Moslem factions fought, they also raided the coast, leading to confrontations with European traders. The nation began as a colony consisting of the mainland territory and the islands of Cape Verde. Not until the first decades of the twentieth century were the Portuguese able to control the territory. Until then, the Portuguese had ruled only the coastal enclaves and were the virtual hostages of their African hosts, who controlled food and water supplies.

In 1913 the Portuguese, under Teixeira Pinto, allied themselves with Fula troops under Abdulai Injai and defeated all the coastal groups. Then the Portuguese exploited divisions among the Moslems to destroy Injai and his followers, becoming the sole power in the region. During the Salazarist era, the Portuguese built roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. At the beginning of the 1960s their rule was contested by African nationalists under the leadership of Amilcar Cabral. By 1974, when Portugal recognized the nation's independence, the nationalist forces had developed a political and economic infrastructure providing basic services for the vast majority of local residents. National Identity. The success of the revolutionary struggle created a strong sense of national identity that was reinforced by linguistic distinctiveness. Because of the upheaval caused by the war for liberation, large numbers of residents migrated to neighboring countries and to Europe. Efforts to liberalize the economy and democratize the political system have led to corruption and exacerbated the gap in wealth between government officials and the citizens.

As a result, the nation-state has come to be perceived as a platform for enriching oneself and one's family and a source of passports and identity papers that allow people to escape from the nation. Ethnic Relations. In recent national elections, ethnically based parties have not been successful. As the nation becomes increasingly divided economically, ethnicity may become a way to mobilize factions. Young Bijagos Islands men perform ritual dances to attract wives in this matriarchal society. Most other ethnic groups in Guinea-Bissau are more patriarchal. Recent coup attempts have divided the military, and animosity toward the wealthy may be increasingly directed at Cape Verdeans. Persons of Cape Verdean descent have been banned from running for the presidency. Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space Bissau is a huge city relative to the country's size. Many of the larger buildings were constructed by the Portuguese. The core of the city is a planned colonial capital, with buildings, boulevards, and vistas in the modernist style. The smaller district capitals also feature colonial architecture. There are postcolonial buildings such as the Chinese hospital in Canchungo, but the architecture is largely West African.

Rectangular houses with zinc roofs and concrete floors are common in villages and small towns. In villages, much housing is still traditional in form and materials. Dried mud and thatched circular huts in ethnically distinct styles are a common feature. Food and Economy Food in Daily Life. Rice is a staple among the coastal peoples. It is also a prestige food, and so the country imports it to feed the urban population. Millet is a staple crop in the interior. Both are supplemented with a variety of locally produced sauces that combine palm oil or peanuts, tomatoes, and onions with fish. Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Most people participate in elaborate life cycle ceremonies in which family and community celebrates events such as birth, circumcision, marriage, and death. Most of these events, especially funerals, entail the sacrifice of livestock for consumption and ritual offering and the consumption of large quantities of palm wine or rum. Basic Economy. The economy depends heavily on foreign aid to support the governmental bureaucracy, teachers and health workers, and the oversized military. The economy is basically agricultural; the vast majority of residents live off what they and their neighbors grow. Villagers depend on funds from emigrant workers.

Urban government workers at all but the highest levels depend on their village kin for food. The West African franc (C.F.A.) is the currency used. Land Tenure and Property. Traditional land tenure practices and systems of property ownership Thatched houses in a Buboque Island village in the Bijagos Islands. Although cities display colonial architecture, villages feature these more traditional dwellings. were not altered significantly by the colonial government or the independent state. A range of customary practices tend to protect the livelihoods of rural families and promote economic cooperation at the village level. There are no landless poor, but with economic liberalization and attempts to generate an export income, so-called empty lands have been granted to members of the government. Known as pontas, these concessions are enlarged extensions of earlier colonial practices. Ponta owners provide materials to local farmers who grow cash crops in exchange for a share of the profits or for wages. Commercial Activities. There is a thriving rural market in livestock and foodstuffs. Most significantly Fula, Mandinga, and Balanta breed cattle and other livestock for consumption among the coastal groups who pay with funds repatriated by emigrant kin living in Senegal and Europe.

There is some local business activity in Bissau but firms are small and relatively unimportant economically. Trade. Guinea-Bissau produces and exports cashews, peanuts, fish and shellfish, and palm nuts. Export partners include Spain, Portugal, and Sweden. The country imports food, primarily rice, petroleum products, transport equipment, and consumer goods from Portugal, Russia, Senegal, and France. Division of Labor. In urban centers, women work alongside men in the government. Urban men who are not employed by the government drive taxis, work in local factories, and are employed as laborers, sailors, and dock workers. Urban women do domestic work and trade in the markets. In the villages, children herd livestock, and young people work collectively to weed or prepare fields. Women do most domestic tasks. In some regions, women perform agricultural tasks that once were done by their husbands. Social Stratification Classes and Castes. In the colonial era, there were castes in Mandinga and Fula society, along with specific occupational groups. Among Manjaco and Papel, distinctions were made between aristocratic groups and commoners. Aristocrats among coastal and Moslem peoples continue to enjoy the privileges of rank. Symbols of Social Stratification.

Markers of wealth include business suits, cars, and cell phones. In the villages, funerals in wealthy families involve large slaughters of cattle; the dead are wrapped in greater quantities of cloth, and the guests are more numerous and better fed. Political Life Government. Until 1994, the country was a one-party republic with widespread participation and support. Today opposition parties have gained a considerable following and the current president ran against the revolutionary party. The president selects a cabinet of ministers. Basic laws are enacted by the hundred delegates to the National Assembly, who are elected by universal sufferage. Since the early 1990s, the government has increasingly privatized basic services and industries but continues to be the largest employer of workers outside the agricultural sector. Leadership and Political Officials. Until the elections of 1999, almost all political leaders and officials came from the ranks of those who fought in the revolution. Midlevel and regional leaders often came from local aristocratic families. Social Problems and Control. Social problems include smuggling, corruption, and emigration of the educated. With joblessness high in the capital city, there has been a rise in crime and prostitution. Military Activity.

The military forces that fought in the revolution emerged with prestige, organizational skill, and political authority. The armed forces were also large in proportion to the population. With the end of the Cold War and with economic and political liberalization, the army has become an economic burden and a threat to political stability. Several coups have been attempted since independence. The coup attempt of 1998 paralyzed the nation for six months and sent a flood of refugees to Senegal and Europe, because of protracted fighting in Bissau. Marriage, Family, and Kinship Marriage. Rural Mandinga and Fula and the peoples of the coastal ethnic groups continue to practice arranged marriage in which a brideprice or groom service is given. However, young people can make matches on their own. Interethnic marriage rates are low but increasing. Men marry later than do women. Polygamy is accepted. Widows often remarry the husband's brother, thereby remaining in the same domestic household group. Women prepare fish of Buboque Island. Fish and shellfish are important in both Guinean diet and exports. Domestic Unit. In the villages, the domestic unit is a large kinship group with common rights to agricultural property and obligations to work for one another.

Inheritance. Land passes from fathers to sons or from older brothers to younger brothers. Among the Manjaco and Papel, rice fields owned by domestic groups are inherited by a sister's sons, who act as caretaker-managers, dividing use rights to portions of the fields. Kin Groups. All the ethnic groups are organized in fairly large kin groups known as clans or lineages. Most kin groups tend to be patrilineal and patrilocal, although there are also large categories of matrilineal kin who share rights to land and to local religious and political offices. Socialization Infant Care. High infant mortality rates result from a lack of modern health services. Child Rearing and Education. Education at the primary school level is almost universal. A peanut harvester in Bissau. These nuts, along with cashews and palm nuts, are among Guinea-Bissau's chief exports. Higher Education. In the colonial era, only a handful of residents, primarily of Cape Verdean ancestry, went to Portugal for a higher education. Guineans in Senegal received degrees from French colonial institutions. During the revolution, many young people were sent to East Germany, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and China to be educated at the university and postgraduate level.

After the revolution, the government was able to increase the literacy rate and the numbers of students who earned a high school diploma. Some of these students study in technical schools, but it is still necessary to go abroad for training in a university. Many students with such educations remain abroad. Religion Religious Beliefs. Despite centuries of Catholic and Protestant missionary activity, few people claim to be Christian. The overwhelming majority (over 60 percent) of residents practice indigenous religions. Rituals and Holy Places. The coastal groups believe that ancestor spirits exercise power over their living descendants, and those spirits are recognized in household shrines at which periodic offerings are made. In every village, there are dozens of shrines to tutelary or guardian spirits. These spirits are recognized at public ceremonies in which food and alcohol offerings are made and animals are sacrificed. Such spirits are thought to protect the community against misfortune. Individuals visit the shrines to request personal favors. Certain shrines have gained a transethnic reputation for reliability and power. Guineans abroad continue to return to those shrines and send money to pay for sacrifices and ceremonies.

Over 30 percent of Guineans are Moslem and recognize their allegiance to Islam through practices such as circumcision and fasting and various forms of Islamic mysticism. Death and the Afterlife. The most elaborate and expensive life cycle rituals are associated with death, burial, and the enshrinement of ancestors. Medicine and Health Care Malaria and tuberculosis are rampant. Infant mortality rates are high and life expectancy is generally low because Western medicine is available only intermittently. Most residents seek out local healers, go to diviners, and make offerings at shrines. The government has made efforts to provide primary nursing care in the villages, but the country continues to rely on foreign doctors. There is a hospital in Teenagers from Bijagos Islands playing the drums. Almost all children receive primary education in Guinea-Bissau. the district capital of Canchungo that is run by Chinese medical personnel but also employs European doctors. Cubans once provided advance care in the hospital in Bissau. Secular Celebrations Independence Day, celebrated on 24 September, is the major national holiday. Carnival in Bissau, once a festival associated with Catholic Criolu culture, has become a multiethnic celebration.

The Arts and Humanities Support for the Arts. National television programming and radio programming provide some support for the arts. Literature. Amilcar Cabral wrote extensively on the goals and theories of national liberation. His speeches are widely read today. Guineans of Cape Verdean ancestry such as Fausto Duarte, Terencio Anahory, and Joao Alves da Neves have begun to write fiction in Criolu. The Manjaco poet Antonio Baticam Ferreira has been published in Europe. Graphic Arts. Art tends to be religious and traditional, and is made and used by villagers. There is not much of a market for tourist art, but Bijagos islanders produce carvings for the tourist markets. The State of the Physical and Social Sciences Until the civil war of 1998, there was a research program in Bissau called the Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas (INEP). During the war, the INEP building was damaged and its archives and library were vandalized. Bibliography Bigman, Laura. History and Hunger in West Africa: Food Production and Entitlement in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, 1993. Bowman, Joye.

Ominious Transition: Commerce and Colonial Expansion in the Senegambia and Guinea, 1857– 1919, 1997. Brooks, George E. Luso-African Commerce and Settlement in the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau Region, 1980. Cann, John P. Counterinsurgency in Africa: The Portuguese Way of War, 1961–1974, 1997. Forrest, Joshua. Guinea-Bissau: Power, Conflict, and Renewal in a West African Nation, 1992. Galli, Rosemary, and Jocelyn Jones. Guinea-Bissau: Politics, Economics, and Society, 1987. Lobban, Richard Andrew, Jr., and Peter Karibe Mendy. Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, 3rd ed., 1999. Lopes, Carlos. Guinea-Bissau: From Liberation Struggle to Independent Statehood, 1987. Rodney, Walter.

A History of the Upper Guinea Coast, 1545–1800, 1970. Rudebeck, Lars. Guinea-Bissau: A Study in Political Mobilization, 1974. —E Guinea-Bissau travel guide - Wikitravel History[ edit ] Guinea-Bissau was once part of the kingdom of Gabu, part of the Mali Empire; parts of this kingdom persisted until the eighteenth century. Early reports of Europeans reaching this area come from the mid 15th century. The rivers and coast of this area were among the first places colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, the interior was not explored until the 19th century. The Portuguese tried desperately to hang on to their colony much longer than other European countries. An armed independence rebellion began in 1956, but it was not until 1974 that the Portuguese finally accepted independence for Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau's post-independence history has been chequered. A civil war in 1998, followed by the imposition of a military junta in 1999 has been replaced with a multi-party democracy.

The economy remains fragile, however hopes are high. Climate[ edit ] Guinea-Bissau is warm all year around and there is little temperature fluctuation; it averages 26.3°C (79.3°F). The average rainfall for Bissau is 2,024 mm although this is almost entirely accounted for during the rainy season which falls between June and September/October. From December through April, the country experiences drought. Regions[ edit ] Guinea-Bissau is divided into 8 administrative regions (regiões) and 1 autonomous sector (sector autónomo), and are subdivided into 37 sectors. Other destinations[ edit ] Bijagos Islands - an archipelago of some twenty tropical, beautiful islands. On the island of Orango it is possible to see hippos, and there are many other possibilities of eco tourism on the "unspoiled islands". On some islands there are even turtle nesting grounds. Many islands have French-owned fishing lodges.

Varela - Just south of Cap Skirring, but on the Guinea-Bissau side of the border, it is a tour de force to get to Varela on a 50 km long bumpy dirt road from São Domingos - but it is all rewarded when you reach this little paradise, with a superb Italian-owned hotel, beautiful beaches and pine forests and a very relaxed atmosphere with almost no other tourists. You may contact the small hotel in Varela via their Facebook page: Aparthotel Chez Helene Boé Sector - The country's most South-Eastern corner is a mosaic of savannah, forest and farmland. Its remoteness has left the sector underdeveloped, but its Fular/Mandinka population is warm and welcoming. Primates constitute the majority of large mammals in the Boé, chiefly among them a healthy population (possibly 1000+) of chimpanzees. Although they are shy and not habituated to humans, there is a chance for ecotourists to spot humanity's closest relative. The Fonda Huuwa "campsite" in the main village Béli offers huts and meals at shoestring prices.

Visa[ edit ] Electronic Visa Application System is recently (2015) introduced. Following is cc from that website [1] " A biometric visa is required to enter Guinea Bissau. All foreign nationals entering Guinea Bissau are required to have a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa sticker bonded into passport obtained from any Border Control checkpoint or Guinea Bissau embassy (see the list of embassies here) All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Guinea Bissau Visa by filling in the online application form. Please follow the instructions for filling the form by following the step by step procedure. The visa application (pre-enrolment) is done online on the following website: [2] , upon payment (online payment) to which a processing fee of 2.5 EUR is added. These amounts are not refunded if the visa is not granted. If the request is accepted, the applicant receives a visa issuing conformation (by email if the request is made online), required at the border crossing / entry to the country. Upon payment and visa confirmation you will receive visa slip that serves as a receipt.

This receipt needs to be printed and it needs to be shown to the visa officer at the chosen border crossing with your passport. This pre-visa slips can also be used by the airlines companies as an ok to board. Nationals of other countries (than Guinea-Bissau), must present a valid passport or valid national identity card (for ECOWAS citizens). The biometric visa for 1 to 90 days stay, with single entry is issued after prior collection of biometric data (fingerprints, photo) and biographical data of the applicant. It also requires the provision of information on travel and accommodation. This biometric visa is issued at the diplomatic and consular offices in the following eight countries (more may be added later): Germany, Morocco, Guinea, Gâmbia, Usa, Cape Verde, Brasil, Spain, visa on arrival at Guine Bissau International Airport and possibly other border crossings into the country. " A Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required. By plane[ edit ] Oswaldo Vieira Airport, located in Bissau is the only international airport in Guinea Bissau Direct flights from Portugal with TAP every Friday, returning the same day. Additional direct flights from Europe and the US are possible with Royal Air Maroc .

The daily Air Senegal [3] flight Dakar(DKR) to Bissau(OXB) is working, the flight time is 1 hr. TACV Carbo Verde Airlines have daily flights from Cap Verde. The flight time is 45min. By car[ edit ] Warning ! As of now (Feb 2016), it is strongly and specifically recommended by the French foreign ministry travelers advice to avoid using the Ziguinchor - Bissau border crossing and to use Pirada instead. Source: From Ziguinchor , Senegal to Bissau it should take you 3-4 hours by sete-place (seven-seat Peugeot) or your own car, depending on the border bureaucracy and the ferry in São Vicente (A bridge is under construction, improving access to Senegal and Gambia markedly. This bridge is completed but won't be open for use until the end of May 2009). Roads are in good conditions. The ferry in São Vicente operates approximately from sunrise to sunset, after sunset, you will have to cross in canoa (pirogue) and change to another vehicle.

From Gambia (Serrekunda), count on 7-8 hours if everything goes smooth. If going by sept-place, you'll have to switch in Ziguinchor . The only really bad road in the trip is in Gambia, just before the border to Senegal. Dakar -Bissau with public transport can be done in one day with a little luck, but you need to leave Dakar early and change vehicle in Ziguinchor . Other main borderposts include Pirada (dirtroad from there to Gabú ) to Senegal , and Buruntuma to Guinea -Conakry (also via Gabú). Saltinho Waterfalls By boat[ edit ] There is a sea route between Dakar and Bissau. Additionally there are boats to and between the Bijagos islands. Get around[ edit ] A Guinean Bissau Taxi In Bissau minibuses called toca-toca provide transport within the city. There are also regular taxis. For inter-city travel there are sept-places, (seven-seat Peugeot) and candongas, big commercial vehicles carrying ten to twenty passengers. Prefer sept-place or at least try to get the front seats.

It is also possible to rent taxis to other towns and cities. The main bus-station "paragem" of Bissau is situated behind the BCEAO (Banco Central dos Estados de África Ocidental) on the Airport Road. Are you heading for Biombo or Prabis, you need to go to another bus-station in Estrada de Bor. There are no time-schedules; cars leave when they are full. As most locals travel in the early morning (c. 07.00), cars fill up quicker in the morning. It might be hard to get transport in late afternoon and evening. Varela Beach To go to the islands, there's a choice between cheap, but rather unsafe, canoas (pirogues) leaving from Porto Pidjiguiti or Porto de Bandim, and expensive modern boats owned by french fishing lodges on the Bijagos islands. In 2007 a ferry started sailing between Bissau and Bubaque, leaving Friday and returning Sunday. Schedules depend on tides, so check in advance. As Guinea Bissau is very flat and there is virtually no traffic on the roads outside Bissau, it's a good country for cycling.

Bikes can be bought in the country, which will probably (as in most parts of the world) be Chinese made bikes. As always, good value for money. Talk[ edit ] Portuguese is the official language and the language used for writing. However, less than one in seven of the population speak it fluently. Upper Guinea Creole - a Portuguese-based creole language - is the lingua franca spoken among the locals. It is spoken as a first language by approximately 15% of the population, and as a second language by approximately 50%, and is the de facto language of national identity. Native languages include Balanta, Fula, Mandjak, Mandinka and Papel. French is widely spoken - it is taught in schools as Guinea-Bissau is surrounded by French-speaking countries and is a full member of the Francophonie as well as the CPLP.

You can buy a Creole/English dictionary at the WEC Mission which is in Caracol, and in the Mavegro supermarket which is located right next to the Simão Mendes Hospital (on the road that passes on the right hand side, 300 m forward on the right) Buy[ edit ][ add listing ] Countries using the West African CFA franc are in green, using the Central African CFA franc in red The West African CFA franc (XOF) is used by Guinea-Bissau and is also used by its neighbours, Benin , Burkina Faso , Côte d'Ivoire , Mali , Niger , Senegal and Togo . Strictly speaking, it's a separate currency from the Central African CFA franc (XAF) with the bank notes being different, but the two currencies are used interchangeably one-for-one throughout. Both these CFA franc currencies are guaranteed by the state and pegged to the euro at a rate of €1 = 655.957 CFA francs.

In December 2007 the first ATM's arrived to the country of Guinea-Bissau - in the BAO (Banco da Africa Occidental) branches of Bissau and Gabú. An ATM is also being set up in the Hotel Malaika in Bissau. These ATM's only function if you have a local account with that bank. So, leave your credit card/bank card at home because it will do you no good. Probably still safest to bring euros or francs CFA enough to cover the time you plan to stay. Western Union is present in Bissau (eight locations), Bafatá , Gabú , Buba, Canchungo and Mansoa. (They will rip you off by taking 10%.) The largest market in the country is Bandim Market, which is on the main road going into town. You can buy many things there and the atmosphere is nice. Otherwise there are small vendors on most roads of the capital. In the villages (Tabankas) you will also find small vendors selling the necessities. In the main towns in the countryside there are larger markets called "Lumo", which give farmers and merchants the possibility to sell/trade their goods.

Don't forget that Guinea-Bissau is a poor country and as such the possibilities for shopping are smaller than in the Gambia or Senegal. 10,000 francs CFA banknote When shopping in Guinea Bissau you have to keep in mind that locals quite rightly tend to consider foreigners as rich (especially white people). The first price you are asked to pay will always be much higher than the actual price of an item. Haggling is absolutely common and no item should be bought without haggling for a better price. Useful creole shopping phrases: Ke ku bu misti? (what do you want?) N'mistil (I want it) N'ka mistil (I don't want it) Es i kanto (How much is this) Rapatil (Request to lower the prize) Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Most Guineans eat rice with fish, because the country is rich in fish, and rice (homegrown or imported from Thailand) is relatively cheap. The more costly meals contain beef, goat, chicken or pork. Meals are also made with palm oil and peanut sauces and diverse vegetables.

Guineans also eat wild/game meat (bushbuck, monkey, wild hogs, etc.) but these animals are considered to be in danger of extinction and so it is not recommended to support this. Guineans are known for their warm heartedness and so you will always be asked to come have a bit with a group of people (it is common to eat from a large bowl)..."bin kume, no kume" Fruit available depends on the season, but mangos, papayas, oranges, grape fruits, bananas, cashews and peanuts are abundant. Also try the sour "fole" fruits and the baobab fruit juice (sumo de cabaceira). Imported fruit can be bought in "fera de prasa" in the centre of Bissau (apples, pears, pineapples, watermelons etc) but is more expensive than in Europe. Vegetables sold in the markets include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley, okra, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, chili, sweet potatoes. Street snacks are typically sandwiches with hardboiled egg, omelete, fish or beef - or donuts, cake or hardboiled eggs.

Frozen juice in small plastic bags or glass water bottles is popular among locals. Guinea-Bissau doesn't have a legal drinking/purchasing age. Warga (strong sweet green tea) The people of Guinea-Bissau love to drink a sweet green tea known as "warga", the brewing of which is an experience to watch. In Bissau and other towns, Portuguese beer and wine are popular, but the African take on the originally Brazilian Caipirinha is definitely worth a try. Strong liquor made from fermented cashew apple, sugar cane or oil palm is usually available in the more remote locations. With regard to water, it is recommended that foreigners only drink it bottled, filtered or boiled. Sleep[ edit ][ add listing ] Hotels in Bissau are generally overpriced - but some hotels were undergoing renovation in 2007, giving hope for more competition and lower prices. In most of the towns outside the capital, there are possibilities to find hotels or other rentable rooms. There are also mainly French-run hotels on the Bijagos islands which are recommendable.

Work[ edit ] There are numerous NGO's, missionaries and international organizations (UN, EU, WHO, UNICEF, The Global Fund) working in Guinea Bissau. Stay safe[ edit ] WARNING: Guinea-Bissau has experienced a volatile recent political history. It has the onerous distinction of never having an elected president complete a full 5-year term in office and there have been dozens of coups and attempted coups as well as numerous assassinations of officials and military leaders since independence in 1974. The most recent coup was in April 2012, which follows a failed coup attempt in 2011, the house-arrest of the prime minister by the military (and threat of killing him) in 2010, and the assassination of the president by soldiers in 2009 (a day after a top military leader & rival of the president was killed by a bomb). In 2015, the president sacked his cabinet over a dispute with the prime minister, but this time no shots were fired and the military vowed to stay in their barracks. A new cabinet has recently been peacefully installed, giving cause for careful optimism.

Political violence is generally not aimed at travellers but it is wise to avoid any political demonstrations and stay clear of any large presence of military on the streets. ( UK Government travel advisory ) Guinea-Bissau is considered by the UN to be a major port for drug shipments into Europe. The military is know for corruption, prompting the head of the UN to refer to the head of the Air Force as a drug kingpin. Fortunately for travellers, the drug trafficking is generally confined to the open sea and harbor, and drug lords are too busy smuggling dope to be bothering anyone inside the country, local or expat. There is very little tourism in Guinea-Bissau, and as a result the criminal tactics typically aimed at tourists are absent. Nightlife is generally safe, but keep your wits about you as you would anywhere else. Many western nations lack a diplomatic presence in Guinea-Bissau, which means you will have a much harder time if arrested, detained, or in need of consular assistance in an emergency. There is no UK or US embassy in Guinea-Bissau; the UK and US embassies in Dakar , Senegal are accredited to Guinea-Bissau.

The UK has an honorary consul, Dutch businessman Jan van Maanen, who is also honorary consul to the Netherlands. He is very approachable (also if you are neither Dutch nor British) and well connected in the country's political hierarchy, and can usually be found at his compound MAVEGRO in Bissau (taxi drivers know it), ☎ +245 955522772 The US has a liaison office at: Edifício SITEC, Rua José Carlos Schwarz 245, Bairro d’Ajuda, ☎ +245 325-6382. If you are arrested, be prepared to pay a bribe. However, it is not recommended to bribe officials directly. Simply ask if they can pay the fine for you, because you do not understand the customs procedures. Then leave the country as soon as possible. Stay healthy[ edit ] WARNING: Neighboring countries Guinea , Liberia , Mali and Sierra Leone were recently struck with an outbreak of the often fatal and largely untreatable Ebola Viral Haemorrhagic Fever. The outbreak currently seems to be under control, and Guinea-Bissau was thankfully not affected.

Before travelling, make sure you have the yellow fever, hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid vaccinations up to date. Malaria prophylaxis is highly recommended - consult a medical doctor for advice on which type to choose. HIV is prevalent, as are most major sexually transmitted diseases. The CDC in the US listed Guinea-Bissau as a groundswell point for new HIV infections. Always use a condom when having sexual relations with new partners. Depending on the length and purpose of your stay, also consider vaccinations for typhoid fever, hepatitis B, rabies, meningitis and tuberculosis. If bitten by a dog, cat, monkey or bat - seek a doctor as fast as possible, no matter if you've been vaccinated or not. Everybody needs post-exposure rabies prophylaxis - but if vaccinated beforehand, you'll need less vaccines. Rabies can be prevented with vaccines and immunoglubulin, but once the symptoms present, there is no cure and about 100% die. Make sure you drink only bottled/filtered water. Respect[ edit ] Guinea-Bissau's different ethnic and religious groups mostly coexist in peaceful acceptance, and sectarian or tribal violence (as opposed to political violence) is practically unheard of.

Some people (especially children) will ask you to take their photo, while others will get upset if you take photos - always ask in advance, especially when taking close-ups. Avoid taking photos of military installations without asking, though sometimes you'll be allowed to. Contact[ edit ] There are numerous internet cafés in the center of Bissau, but ask around, more of them are hard to spot from outside. Other options are Lenox or go wireless in Restaurant Phoenicia or hotel Bissau Palace. There are three mobile companies in Guinea Bissau all with prepaid mobile cards, that can be bought all over. It's easy to call abroad or other mobiles of the same company, but can be hard to call from one company to another (e.g. MTN->Guinétel). MTN GSM 900 - simcard 500 FCFA, not very expensive to call Europe or other African countries. Will soon be possible to get internet connection via an MTN mobile.

Orange GSM 900/1800 Guinétel GSM 900 Most Popular Languages - Top 10 Most Spoken Languages Top 10 Most Spoken Languages Posted by Shell Harris on March 29, 2011 in History | 28,570 Views | 83 Responses The development of spoken languages is probably the most significant development in communications in the history of the world . Since mankind first developed language, languages have developed into a multitude of varieties, a diversity which endures to this day. Here is a list of the top ten languages, grouped by the number of native speakers. 10. German (over 90 million speakers) German is a member of the West Germanic language family, alongside English. German is primarily spoken, as its name suggests, in Germany, where it is the official language. However, it is also the official language of Austria, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, and is one of three official languages of Belgium (alongside Dutch and French) and one of four official languages of Switzerland (alongside French, Italian, and Romansch) and is the official language of Italian province of Bolzano-Bozen.

In addition, it is recognized as a minority language in several countires, including Poland, Denmark, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Common German phrases include Guten tag (Good day), Sprechen sie Deutsch? (Do you speak German?), and auf wiedersehen (Goodbye). 9. Japanese (132 million speakers) The Japanese language is a member of the Japonic language family (which also includes the Ryukyuan language spoken on the island of Okinawa). Most Japanese native speakers live in Japan and its territories, but native Japanese speakers also live in Korea, the United States and Europe. Japanese is the official language of Japan, and it also enjoys official status in Palau. Common phrases in Japanese include konichiwa (hello), arigato (Thank you), and sayonara (goodbye). 8. Russian (144 million speakers) The Russian language is a member of the East Slavic family of languages, a family which also includes the Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Rusyn languages. Most of Russian’s 144 million speakers live in Russia, where it is the official language. Other countries with large Russian-speaking populations include Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet.

Common Russian phrases include ????????????. (ZDRAHST-vooy-tyeh; hello), ??. (dah: yes), and ???????. (spuh-SEE-buh; thank you). 7. Portuguese (178 million speakers) The Portuguese language is a member of the Italo-Western branch of the Romance language family. Like the other Romance languages, it is a descendant of Latin (“Romance” referring to Rome). It is the official language of both Portugal and Brazil, where most native speakers live. In addition, it is the official language of Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, and is a mandatory subject of study in schools in Uruguay and Argentina. It is currently the fourth most learned language in the world, with 30 million learners. Common Portuguese phrases include Bom dia (Good day), Como está? (how are you?), and Não (No). 6. Bengali (181 million speakers) Bengali is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, alongside languages such as Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.

Most of its speakers live in the country of Bangladesh, where it is the official language. Speakers also live in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. Speakers also live in Europe, the United States, and even Saudi Arabia. Bengali has a rich literary tradition and is a focal point of Bengali nationalism. Bengali is written in the Bengali script, which is related to the Sanskrit and Hindi scripts. Common Bengali phrases include Nômoshkar (Hello), Apnar nam ki? (What is your name?), and Ektu (please). 5. Arabic (221 million speakers) Arabic is a member of the Semitic language family, which includes Hebrew Neo-Aramaic languages such as Syriac and Neo-Chaldean. Arabic is most often identified with the Middle East and North Africa, and is the official language of 26 countries. It sits alongside Hebrew as the official language of Israel , and has large populations of speakers in both Europe and North America. Additional, its classical variant is the language of the Qu’ran. Arabic is written in the Arabic script.

Common Arabic phrases include as-salaamu ‘alaikum (Peace be with you, a formal greeting), Na’am (yes), and ismaHli (excuse me). 4. Hindi-Urdu (242 million speakers total) Hindi-Urdu is a member of the Indo-Aryan family, alongside Bengali. It is a pluricentric language and has two official forms, Standard Hindi and Standard Urdu, although the two forms are nearly indistinguishable from each other. Hindi is the official language of India, whilst Urdu is the official language of Pakistan. Urdu and Hindi are also spoken in parts of Europe and North America with heavy Indian and Pakistani immigrant populations. It is written in both the Hindi alphabet and the Arabic alphabet (for Urdu due to Islamic influence). 3. English (328 Million speakers) English is a member of the West Germanic language family. It originally sprouted from the Anglo-Saxon language (Old English) and borrowed heavily from Latin and French due to the Norman conquest of England. Though it developed in the British isles, the largest population of English speakers lives in the United States, with about 309 million speakers.

English is the official language of 53 countries, including Ireland , Canada, South Africa, Jamaica, and New Zealand, and is the de facto language of the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. It also has large speaking populations in several African and Oceanian countries, and is a “subsidiary official language” in India. English is also an official language of several organizations, including the UN, NATO, and the European Union. 2. Spanish (329 million speakers) Spanish is a member of the West Iberian branch of the Romance languages, closely related to Portuguese. Spanish is one of the most widely distributed languages in the world; it is the official language of over 20 countries, and is the official language of nearly every state in Latin America, excepting Brazil, Belize, etc. Additionally, large populations of native speakers have immigrated to the United States, and Spanish is now one of the most common languages in the American southwest. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Common Spanish phrases include hola (hello), Que pase un buen día (Have a good day), and ¿Cómo te llamas? (What is your name?). 1.

Mandarin (over 845 million speakers) Mandarin is often called Chinese by non-speakers, but it is in fact only one of many Chinese languages, which include Cantonese and Xiang, in the Sino-Tibetan language family. Mandarin is the largest of the Chinese languages, and is the official language of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. It is also one of four official languages of Singapore (the others being English, Malay and Tamil). In addition, large scale immigration from both mainland China and Taiwan have brought large populations of Mandarin speakers to the United States and Europe. Mandarin has two writing systems; Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese . Common Mandarin phrases include N? h?o! (Hello!), W? míngzi jiào… (My name is…), and Hu?nyíng! (You’re welcome!) by Justin Jurek | Permalink my god.. relax. french was the lingua franca who knows how many centuries ago, currently it’s english. but even the number of native english speakers these days are on the decline. English only became the lingua franca because USA spoke english, and it was a major power back then, so it had a huge influence.

Keep an open mind. What does it matter if your language is or isn’t in the top 10? That bit of pride, is it worth bickering about…? Geesh. Whether it be because of politics or pop culture, language is always changing, and so does its preference.

Question: Guinea-Bissau is a former colony of which country, represented in its official language?
Answer: Portugal